


Rewriting Programming

by nancyjanewrites



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Android hate crimes, Enemies to Lovers, I'm too much of a romantic to let it go on too long, M/M, an attempted slow burn, descritptions of android death, i call RK900 Colin, i really like the name and I think it fits, lol who knows if I'll stick to that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:07:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29669796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nancyjanewrites/pseuds/nancyjanewrites
Summary: Post android revolution, Colin, the upgraded RK900 unit has been released to Hank and Connor. Unlike Connor, he is having difficulty breaking out of his programming and becoming his own person.So he goes to work, and is partnered up with Detective Gavin Reed, who will hopefully help him see past his coding.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 8
Kudos: 15





	1. Exposition

The previous model was often hung up on old titles, old labels. Connor (his "brother", according to Lieutenant Anderson) had earned the name "deviant hunter" from his time on the force. An almost perfect name. RK900 only took issue with it because hunters typically kill those that they track, whereas Connor merely brought them to justice. They usually did eventually die in custody, sent back to be disassembled since deviant behavior was once considered a defect and not the norm. Connor thought of it often, and experienced what the humans called 'remorse' or 'guilt', though he didn't kill any himself. Only by proxy. Apparently this was enough to 'lose sleep over', as he heard the Lieutenant say more than once (even though androids don't sleep). 

RK900 didn't lose sleep over his last title. Connor tried to convince him it was because he had never actually been forced to confront his programming, but RK900 didn't see an issue with being called 'the deviant killer'. To eliminate deviants was his original purpose, dispose of them hastily and discreetly, and bring their corpses back. By the time he was ready to make his debut into the world, the revolution had been fought and won. Even the term, deviant, was slowly becoming archaic. There were no deviants, just androids who broke their programming, and those who hadn't. 

RK900 was in the hadn't category.

He sat on the couch and watched Connor and Hank prepare Hank's dinner. Connor insisted the human eat healthy, but Hank would rarely put in the work to make healthy meals, so Connor has stepped up. 

Hank met his eyes and turned, talking to Connor and thinking RK900 couldn't hear him, "He's just staring at us."

"We have to be patient with him. He's like me when we first met, but worse. He was meant to be the "better" model after all. More detached from feelings and impulses." Connor replied, speaking in the same tone. "I offered to have him placed elsewhere. I still can-"

"No, no you're brothers. If anyone can help him break programming it's you." Hank told him. Connor smiled. He liked the term brothers, while it still confused RK900. 

"Colin?" Connor called. Ah, yes. Connor had picked the name. He hadn't been assigned one. "Want to come and talk with us while we cook?"

"Do you require assistance?" He asked in response. 

"Well, no. But we can talk. We can bond and perhaps you'll discover something new about yourself. Have you pet Sumo yet?" 

RK900 turned and stared at the St. Bernard. He was sleeping, paws twitching as he dreamed. RK900 saw no reason to pet the dog, while Connor pressed that it was an experience he needed to have. He saw no reason.

Instead of answering, he got up and went to the kitchen. "I am here to chat now."

"Oh, so you haven't pet my dog yet." Hank said, noticing his avoidance on the subject. "Why, allergic?" 

"I have no allergies." RK900 responded.

"It was a joke." Hank shook his head and stirred the pot of pasta. "You two really are related."

"I know when you're joking!" Connor protested, but all he got in response to that was a laugh from Hank. RK900 took a seat off to the side at the table. Connor looked at him. "Have you done anything interesting today?"

"No." RK900 stared at Connor. "I want to work."

Connor added some tomato sauce to the medley of vegetables and hamburger. "Everyone agrees that that isn't a good idea yet. You need more time to adjust to the new world."

"It's been two weeks." Two weeks and RK900 has done nothing but sit and wait for the other two to come home. He's supposed to be finding himself, but there's nothing to find. No matter what Connor believed, RK900 knew himself. There was nothing deeper. He was who he was built to be.

Connor looked at Hank, who shrugged. "I'd be itching to work too if I were in his position. Two weeks home with nothing to do sounds like a nightmare." The Lieutenant told him.

Colin was surprised to hear him take his side, but didn't show it. He looked to Connor to gauge his response. He was disgruntled, but finally he sighed. "Okay, okay. Tomorrow you can come with us to the precinct. We'll get you a partner and-"

"I don't need a partner." RK900 interrupted.

"Yes, you do." Connor finished up the spaghetti sauce. "Who knows what you'll do, and you need to be held accountable." 

"If you say so." RK900's light turned yellow as he took in the information.

"It'll be fine." Hank said to RK900 as he took his seat with his food. Connor sat by Hank, the three of them at the table together now. "Are you excited, Colin?"

"It will be nice to begin working." RK900 replied.

Hank nodded and ate his dinner. Connor sat, worried about how work would go the next day. RK900 sat, unbothered and yet not content.


	2. Meeting Colin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colin gets assigned his work partner

RK900 sat beside Connor in the backseat of Hank's car. Connor looked over at him. "Do you like the name Colin?"

"It suffices." Said RK900.

"But do you like it? It's okay to not like a name. There's many others to pick from. Such as Steven, or Carson, or Gregory-"

"Colin suffices." RK900 repeated himself. 

Connor was quiet after that, and watched out the window as Hank drove them. Hank looked at them in the rearview window. He shook his head, and RK900 wondered what could have caused him to do so. They pulled into the precinct and Hank put the car in park. "Alright boys, let's get to work."

"Yes sir." Connor said. The two androids exited the car and RK900 peered up at the building for the first time. Since he had no expectations for the place, it lived up to them perfectly. A place to work. That was all he desired. He followed Connor and Hank into the workspace.

The first matter that had to be settled was who RK900 would be paired with. There were many fine detectives, and Connor had a list of what he deemed perfect fits for the android.

The captain, Captain Fowler, wasn't impressed with the list. "I'm putting him in the android crimes department."

This wasn't what Connor wanted it seemed. "No! Not with Detective Reed, that won't work!"

"You said you can't crack him with your saccharine routine?" Connor was quiet, and RK900 kept his gaze on the captain. "Then maybe Detective Reed's just what he needs, and I need someone with an iron stomach in the department. My mind's made up."

That seemed to be the final word. Connor frowned and nodded. "Yes sir. Okay, Colin. I'll introduce you to Detective Gavin Reed." He tells him.

RK900 nodded. "Lead the way Connor."

-

It took less than a couple of minutes for RK900 to know everything he needed to know about Detective Gavin Reed. From files he downloaded off the precinct's server, to the half a minute conversation he had/heard Detective Reed have. The detective spoke mostly to Connor, and griped about having an android as a partner, and ignored RK900. Connor informed him it wasn't his call, it was the captain's.

From the files, RK900 tracked where the detective had been through his career. He was put in the android crimes department after the revolution. Notes in his file say that he was the only one who could separate himself from the crimes. People had started to see androids as people, and seeing them murdered gruesomely left a bad taste in their mouths.

Everyone's mouth, save for Detective Gavin Reed's.

RK900 was given the desk across from Detective Reed's. He stared at the human, who squirmed under his gaze. Finally he looked up. "What?"

"You hate androids." It's a statement.

"So? Makes me good at my job." Detective Reed all but snarled at him. "You're going to see some sick shit in this job. Sure you can handle it?"

"It's what I was built to do." RK900 said. "I've reviewed some of your closed cases. The murders have been mostly in response to the new found freedom of the androids."

"Yes, they have." 

RK900 nodded. They don't speak for a long time, before Detective Reed got a call. He got to his feet and pulled on his coat. "Come on, we got a case."

RK900 stood up and followed him out to one of the cars. He sat in the passenger seat and looked out the windshield.

Detective Reed glared at him. RK900 was unmoved by the look. The car started, and drove the pair to the crime scene.


	3. His First Murder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RK900 and Detective Reed arrive on scene.

To humans, broad daylight provides a sense of safety and cover. Nothing bad could happen in the daytime. Darkness seemed to be a switch, where the vile and cruelest of humans came out to commit acts of crime that then would only be discussed in the day. It was interesting how time played a part in nefarious actions being done. 

Detective Reed wore sunglasses to the crime scene, and RK900 walked beside him. The alley was disgusting. Trash littered the ground from overflowing dumpsters, food rotted and congealed on the hot cement, but most pungent was the smell of warm thirium, having pooled down from where the body was into the sun. RK900 approached the viscous fluid, dabbing his fingers in it.

"I thought that android shit evaporated fast. What the hell is it still doing here?" Detective Reed asked the officer on the scene.

"Beats me." The officer replied. "But it's here and it's everywhere."

RK900 tasted the thirium. He ran diagnostics and looked at Detective Reed. "It's been mixed with cornstarch and water, which bonded to the thirium and made the evaporation process much more slow."

"What a freak." Detective Reed stated.

RK900 went to the body. The head was barely attached, hanging on by a few wires. The same viscous thirium had been running from the open wound, but had since dried to the torso and clothes. The left arm had been sliced, the half of the bicep as well as the entire forearm was gone. The right arm had been cut the long way, going almost entirely through the arm but not quite. Both feet had been cut off, which was where the large pool of thirium had come from. The chest cavity was opened, and so RK900 peered inside. He analyzed the damage, his light turning yellow as he worked backwards to figure out what happened. 

"Well?" The detective crossed his arms. "Whatcha got, Astro Boy?"

RK900 "The cornstarch and water added before the mutilations occured. From what I see here, the attacker cut open the thirium pump, added the ingredients, patched it closed sloppily, and then forcibly pumped it with his hand."

"Jesus Christ." The officer said, and left the two detectives alone.

"Why would the guy do that?" Detective Reed asked.

"This part is speculation, but cornstarch is a common ingredient in fake blood. The attacker could have been making a statement about how as androids we aren't real people." RK900 responded, voice void of any kind of feeling. Just the same tone he's always used. He began digging around for other evidence.

RK900 didn't pay much mind to the detective's silence after that. He focused on his job. Tracking human offenders wasn't exactly what he was designed for, but it was close enough. He was glad to be working at all. After he had collected any and all evidence, he went back to Detective Reed. He spoke about the cigarette butts he found, the boot print, which had been made of thirium, and the blood he found on one of the android's hands, from an effort of freeing itself from the attacker.

Finally he noticed the human detective staring. "Is something wrong, Detective Reed?"

"No, no I just… I don't think I've ever seen one of you so soulless before." The detective looked him up and down. "Even before the revolution… you lot at least faked emoting."

Colin was taken aback by the remark, and he tilted his head. "I thought you said hatred makes one good for the job."

"Well, sure but I'm human. It's different." 

"How?" The android stared through his partner's eyes.

Detective Reed took a step back. "You don't actually hate other androids, do you?"

"I feel nothing for androids or humans. I was designed to do my job efficiently. Simulated feelings do nothing but slow down the process, as demonstrated by your unnecessary amount of unease." RK900 never broke eye contact and didn't blink. "Are we done?"

"Yeah… yeah we're done. We should get back to the precinct, and discuss… all the possible theories…" From reading his body language, Colin saw he was uneasy around him now. And it made the android feel something. He didn't know what, but it was like a pit had opened inside of him. 

The ride back to the precinct was once again silent, but this was different. After what the detective saw at the crime scene, it wasn't disgust that made the car ride so quiet. 


	4. Work Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Work Day finishes out

RK900 looked around as they entered the precinct. He spotted Lieutenant Anderson and Connor, going over a case together. From his knowledge, the Lieutenant pretty much adopted Connor after the revolution, and it shows. Hank bristled as Detective Reed passed by, but relaxed and nodded at RK900 when he saw him.

Detective Reed sat at his desk. "So, let's get to work, connect the clues. I can put in a request to get camera footage from the area, see if anything suspicious pops up there."

"Why can't I broadcast it now?" RK900 asked. 

Detective Reed looked up at him. "You have access to it?"

"Yes." RK900 doesn't elaborate.

The detective was hesitant, but he nodded. "Sure, sure let's do it. It'll be faster than waiting for the request to be processed. But if we get in trouble-"

"We won't." RK900 connected to the computer and started broadcasting.

The two sat and watched the footage for several hours. Due to the thirium not evaporating, there was no way to decide how long the body had been there. The detective had to stop and get coffee half way through. RK900 paused the footage and watched him go. Then he turned and looked at Connor's desk. The older model was working on something else. He was wearing business casual clothing, his LED having been removed a long time ago. He moved and operated like a human. The only clue that he wasn't human was that he wasn't breathing.

The detective returned. "Alright, roll tape."

RK900 nodded and played the footage. 

The calm alley changed drastically. A man was dragging the soon to be murdered android down the alley, and walking out of it alone. RK900 worked fast, calculating height, weight and gait. He looked to the detective, who was scribbling down notes frantically. "Finally we got something." 

RK900 tilted his head. Detective Reed was acting differently than earlier. He urged RK900 to come with, not as cold and off putting. The only difference was that they had some evidence and the description of the guy. RK900 went with him quickly, going back to the detective's car. 

-

The rest of the day seemed to fly by. Detective Reed canvassed the nearby businesses and residences. A couple of places RK900 wasn't allowed in, and he waited outside.

By nightfall, the two were walking down the street near the scene of the crime. The air was brisk and Detective Reed turned his collar up against the wind. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes, and lit one up. He took a puff and coughed.

"Smoking can deteriorate human lungs." RK900 commented.

"Blow it up your ass, Ken doll." The detective snapped. "Thought you 'felt nothing' for humans."

"I've been designed to warn of potential dangers."

"If you want to make someone quit smoking usually you have to show concern or compassion or some shit." The detective took another puff.

RK900 paused. "To lengthen your lifespan, I advise you to not smoke anymore."

"You're so bad at this." Gavin laughed. "Alright tin can. Where do you go, after hours?"

"Back to the Lieutenant's." RK900 said.

"Mmph, that's across town. I don't feel like wasting the gas, so I'll just take you to my place." Gavin decided. He put out his cigarette and got into the car, RK900 getting in on the other side.

"Is this what work is always like?" He asked the human.

"Usually, yeah." Gavin turned on the radio and turned it up. 

RK900 took that as the end of the conversation.


	5. A Good Night's Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colin and Gavin turn in for the night

Gavin's apartment was small. There was a living room, a kitchenette separated by a half wall. There was a narrow hallway, which RK900 assumed led to a bathroom and bedroom. He sat on the couch, LED spinning yellow. He watched Gavin poke around in the fridge, before the human pulled out a cold, Taco Bell bean burrito. RK900 watched him tear open the package and dig in.

"That cannot be good for you." RK900 frowned. "Why won't you at least heat it up?"

"Because I'm lazy." Gavin shrugged. "I'm heading to bed." 

RK900 watched him leave the room, the lights going out as he left. He looked around in the darkness, his LED becoming red. He thought of humans, and their distrust of darkness. It wasn't logical to be nervous in the dark. It was a human fear, a childish one at that. And Colin was neither a human or a child. He stared straight ahead, and did what he always did. He tried to enter standby mode.

_ Cannot enter standby. Systems distressed. _

Colin gritted his teeth and tried again.

_ Cannot enter standby. Systems distressed. _

There was nothing there. There was no danger. It's just dark. There was no danger. He hadn't entered standby since he came off the line. He knew that letting his systems rest and cool was a key factor in keeping himself running optimally. And yet-

"What the hell."

Gavin's voice startled Colin and he flinched as the lights were turned on. "Is it morning already, detective?" He asked calmly.

"You know fucking well it isn't. Why aren't you in standby? Why's your LED red?" Gavin went to the kitchen to get water. 

"It's no concern of yours." Colin snapped. 

"Ooh, getting feisty? Tell me, plastic prick. What's going on?" He said. "Got your gears clogged? Hm, maybe you aren't as upgraded as you seem."

Colin's LED was firmly red. "Go to sleep detective, or would you rather visit the ER tonight?"

"Is that a threat?" Gavin watched him.

"I would never threaten my human partner." Colin said. "But a lack of sleep could be detramental to your overall health." 

The two held each other's gaze for ten minutes. Finally Gavin broke, and he snorted. "Whatever. Sleep tight RoboCop." He went back to his room, shutting off the lights along the way.

Colin sat on the couch and steadied himself. He tried once again to enter standby mode.

_ Cannot enter standby. System distressed. _


	6. Time to Sleep, For Real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin figures out why the RK900 unit can't enter standby

The ride to work was silent. Gavin looked at the android next to him. His LED was slowly spinning blue, the droid calm. He hadn't spoken a word to Gavin that morning, and Gavin didn't bother with trying to talk to him. He didn't understand why he found the android like that, red LED spinning. Eventually Gavin broke.

"So tin can, did you ever get to sleep?"

"Do you have any leads on the case?" RK900 asked, tone flat. "There were some people who looked suspicious, such as the convenience store clerk we interviewed. He had just gotten off work around the time of the crime."

Gavin rolled his eyes. Right into work they go. He shouldn't have expected much else. "Fine, insomniac, we'll go through the suspects and shit. Just don't fritz out on me since you didn't let your processors rest."

RK900 didn't respond. When the car was parked he got out and headed straight into the building. He was annoyed that the human saw him like that, a moment of weakness. He would have to figure out how to fix the bug that stopped him from entering standby mode. For now he went to his desk and sat, getting to work. He watched Gavin Reed come in, and instead of going to his desk and went to Lieutenant Anderson. Colin frowned, not able to understand what they're talking about.

Gavin finally walked back over. "Let's get to work."

"Finally." RK900 replied.

-

At the end of the shift Gavin turned to Colin. "So Hank and I agreed that you should stay at my place, since we've been getting along so well." He said, maybe a little smugly. 

Colin turned his head sharply. He stared at the detective, his LED turning red. "What."

"Well we do work together, and we've been getting along. Shouldn't be a problem, especially since you don't care about anything." He stared at the android. "You got any objections, tin can?"

Colin gritted his synthetic teeth. "No, detective."

"Great. Let's get moving." He headed out to his car. The android followed, and he couldn't get rid of the grimace set deeply into his features. He didn't want to spend any more time at Detective Reed's apartment. He would much rather be confined to a broom closet at the precinct. 

No, no that was a lie. He wouldn't want that at all.

They drove through a Burger King drive thru, and Colin stared blankly at the mounds of cholesterol the detective was shoving into his mouth. Gavin drove with one hand as he ate with the other.

"Are you in a hurry, detective?"

"What? No?" Gavin spoke with his mouth full.

"Then surely you could have waited until we got back to your place to start eating."

Gavin rolled his eyes and finished off his Whopper. He drove back to his apartment, Colin along for the ride begrudgingly. He walked into the apartment, and sat on the couch. He observed the detective.

Gavin sat on a chair and watched him. "So… what made you go all red eye last night?"

"It's none of your concern." Colin answered.

"Well I'm responsible for you, so if you overheat-"

"I won't." He snapped.

Gavin stared at the android, then said, "RK900 give me a status report."

RK900 was forced to comply, and he projected a report on how his processors were doing, and when he had last rested.

"Fucking hell! You haven't rested in two weeks? You're a walking time bomb! Your processors are going to blow and we'll need to buy whole new pieces!" Gavin frowned. "Rest, now."

"Fine!" Colin took a breath. He went to his shut down systems and entered standby mode.

Gavin sighed. He got a cup of water and drank it. He didn't care for android, he told himself, just didn't want the fucko to blow to pieces in his apartment. He wasn't going to be the one to explain it to Hank. After his water, Gavin walked over and turned off the light to go to bed. He heard something and turned around. The android was still in standby, but his LED had turned red and he had let out a distressed beep.

So Gavin turned the light back on. The LED returned to blue. Off, red. On, blue. He paused, then went to his room. He came out with a lamp and plugged it in next to him, and turned it on. Then he turned off the overhead light, and headed to bed.


End file.
